1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging container for storing an article and a method for folding up the packaging container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a cardboard packaging container for storing a large size article to be packaged, especially when recycled or disposed as waste, is cut into small pieces, for example, by breaking with user's fingers to put them into a synthetic-resin disposal bag, or is forced to fold up into a decreased bulk to hold a folded state of the container with a sealing tape or a string.
However, it requires a lot of muscle and much time to break the cardboard into small pieces with user's fingers. Further, when the cardboard packaging container is forced to fold up into a decreased bulk, it must be folded up at a part where there are no fold lines, also requiring a lot of muscle. Still further, it requires much time to wind the container with a sealing tape or a string while holding the folded state of the container, resulting in a burdensome folding operation.
In order to solve such problems, a packaging container disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 56226/1986 (Jitsukaisho 61-56226; published on Apr. 15, 1986) is known as a packaging container enabling flat folding and convenient for disposal as waste.
However, although the packaging container disclosed in the conventional publication is provided with a perforated cut line along a fold line on the flap, which enables flat folding by opening along the perforated cut line, it requires a lot of muscle to fold at a part where there are no fold lines on each plate as the above-described folding manner as well as requires much time to fold compactly at the midpoint of each plate as the above-described folding manner.